Automatic gate



July 4, 1950 NEAL 2,513,887

AUTOMATIC GATE Filed Dec. 28,, 19,45 s SheetsSheet 1 EIE-l 24 25 l Iuventm 29 g 5 Juban Ema] 40 27 1 QMm-W July 4, 1950 J. E. NEAL 2,513,887

AUTOMATIC GATE Filed Dec. 28, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 HIHIIHIHII A. 3 Inventor Julian E. Ma]

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July 4, 1950 J. E. NEAL I 2,513,887

AUTOMATIC GATE Filed Dec. 28, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIE-4 Julia 12 .6: Ma]

Patented July 4, 1950 2 ,513,887 AUTOMATIC GATE Julian E. Neal, Port Arthur; Tex., assignor of fifty per cent to Mark Ralph Jackson, Sr., Port Arthur, Tex.

ApplicationDecember 28, 1945, Serial No. 637,531

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an automatic gate and more particularly to farm gates.

The primary object of the invention is automatically to open a gate and hold it open upon the approach of a vehicle along a roadway until the'vehicle has thoroughly cleared the gateway.

Another object is to afford an effective barrier to the passage of animals through the gateway.

'The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a, pair of horizontally movable lazy tongs adapted when extended to form a barrier across a roadway, weight controlled means normally holding said lazy tongs so extended and means operable upon the approach of a vehicle along the roadway toward the gateway to retract the lazy tongs and hold them so retracted until the vehicle has passed the gateway.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of my improved gate showing the same open,

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the gate closed,

Figure 3 i a side view of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a side view of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a plan view of the gate,

Figure S is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through a portion of one of the gate posts,

Figure 7 is an end view of one of the Weights for holding the gate in open position,

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed view of the gate opening links, and

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 99 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail this improved gateway comprises a horizontal supporting frame designated generally [5 formed of spaced side bars I6 joined at opposite ends by transversely extending end bars l1, and extending transversely between the side bars [6 midway of their ends is a cross-bar l8 having end extension on which a pair of gate posts I9 are mounted. These gate posts are bridged across their top by a suitable lintel 20 to form therewith a gateway and are provided with side braces 21.

Pivoted as at 22 to the gate posts I9 are gate closing levers 23 to the outer ends of which are secured as by suitable bales 24, weights 25 the purpose of which will be more fully hereinafter explained.

Mounted on suitable brackets 26 secured to the innermost faces of the gate posts I9 is a pair of gate forming lazy tongs 21, to the lower ends of which the inner end of said levers 23 are pivotill) ally connected as at 28. Since the lazy tongs 21 are pivotally supported to the brackets 26 it will be evident that the upward movement of the connections 2 8 under the influence of the weight 25 will tend to' extend the lazy tongs toward one another as illustrated in Figure 2 and thus form a closed gate or barrier across the gateway. In order automatically to cause the pair of lazy tongs '21 to contract upon the approach of a vehicle toward the gate a pair of platforms designated respectively 29 and 30 are hinged as at 3| to opposite end bars I! of the frame 15 and the adjacent ends of the platforms 29 and 3B are disposed'substantially vertically below the longitudinal axis of the lintel 20. The platforms 29, an incline upwardly toward each other when the lazy tongs 21 are extended, as shown in Figures 2 and 4. Each of these platforms comprises spaced longitudinally extending side rails 32 which are preferably formed of angle bars, and supported by the side rails are transversely extending, laterally spaced parallel tread members 33. By the lateral spacing of the tread members 33, what is known as a cattle proof approach is. provided on each side of the gate. Suitable guard rails 34 are preferably arranged along opposite sides of each platform as will be readily understood upon reference to Figure 5.

Surrounding the adjacent ends of the ide bars 32 are loops 35 to which converging chains 36 are attached. The convergent ends of the chains 33 are connected with the pivot 28 joining the inner ends of the levers 23 to the pair of lazy tongs 21 so that when a vehicle rides upon either of the platforms 29 or 3D pull will be exerted on the chains attached to the associated platform, thus causing the levers 23 to swing around the pivots 22 against the influence of the weights 25 and move the pair of lazy tongs '21 to contracted position as illustrated in Figure 1, it being understood of course that the weight of a vehicle is sufficient to overcome the weights 25.

In order to further effect a barrier across the gateway when the pair of lazy tongs 21 are extended suitable chains 3! are connected to corresponding bars forming the lazy tongs so that when they are extended the chains will form in effect horizontally extending bars which may be readily collapsed with the contraction of the pair of lazy ton-gs. Suitable links or arms 38 may be welded or otherwise attached to the pair of lazy tongs in such a position that when th latter are extended the ends of the arms 38 will be adjacent one another and each carries a suitable ring 39 through which the shackle of a padlock may be extended 3 v to lock the gate. In order to hold the ends of the pair of lazy tongs 21 in proper alignment when they are extended one lazy tongs 21 is provided with a pair of outwardly flared guides 40 which extend toward the other lazy tongs and are adapted to receive an outwardly extending tongue 4| carried by the other lazy tongs as will be readily understood upon reference to Fig, 9. r

If so desired suitable abutment boards 42 may be attached by brackets 43 to opposite end bars I! in order to relieve the platform 29, 30 front shock through the impact of the wheels of an approaching vehicle.

In operation it will be understood that the'-- weights 25 are sufiicient to overcome the weight tracted, and so held until the vehicle leaves the adjacent platform. When depressed, the platforms 29, 3!? are suspended at their adjacent ends by'the chains 36, from the contracted lazy-tongs 21, in horizontal position as best'shown in Figure 3. As will be noted, the chains 36 and links '35 form flexible connections between the adjacent ends of the platforms 29, 30,. compensating for' pivotal movement of saidplatforms relative to" the pair of laz 'tongs 21. As soon as theweig'ht of the vehicle is removedfromthe adjacent platform'the weights 25 restore the air of lazy tongs" 27 to extended gateclosing position.

While in the foregoing" there has been slidwh and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that 'rnino'r" changes in the details of construction, c'ombinationand arrangement of parts-may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Icl'aim: 1. In a gate, a pair of opposite'gate posts form'- ing a gateway, a pair of lazy tongs respectively.

suspended from said gate posts for retraction and extension to open and close said gateway, said" lazy tongs comprising pivotallyconnected upright bars, a pair of levers pivoted intermediate the ends thereof on the respective posts adjacent the lower ends of I the posts forv vertical swinging movement about-horizontal axes and havin'gcorresponding ends pivotally connected to lower ends of corresponding bars of said pair of lazy tongs to contract and extend the pair of lazy tongs upon downward and upward swinging of said ends of the levers respectively, Weights on the other ends of said levers normally urging the connected ends of the levers upwardly to extend said pair' oflazy tongs and close said gateway, a pair of platforms pivotally and 'd'epressibly mounted upon opposite sides of said gateway in edge to edge relation, and links connecting the adjacent edges of the platforms to the bar attached ends of the levers for swinging said ends ofi'tlie levers downwardly to contract said pair of'lazy tongs and open the gateway when either platform is depressed by a load thereon overcomingsaid weights.

2. In a gate, a pair of opposite gate posts forming a gateway, a pair of lazy tongs respectively suspended from said gate posts for retraction and extension: to open and close said gateway; said lazy tongs comprising pivotally connected upright: bars, apair Of-l levers pivoted intermediateathe endsithereofon'the respective posts adjacent the lower ends of the: postsfor vertical swinging 1 movement about horizontal axes and having cor responding ends pivotally connected to 'IOWITBHdS of corresponding bars of saidpair of lazy llDIlgSYtO contract and extendthepair of lazy tongs upon downward and'upwardcswin'ging' of said ends of the'levers respectively,.weights on the other ends of said levers normally urging the connected ends-.

of the levers upwardly-to extend said pair ofzlazyr tongs and close said gateway, a pair of platforms-* pivotally and depressibly mounted uponlopposite'i' sides of said gatewayin'ed'ge'to edge relation,=an'd':

chains connecting the adjacent edg'esof the'plat-- forms to the barattached ends of theleve'rs for swinging said ends of the levers downwardly to contract said pair of lazy tongsan'd open the gateway when either platform is' depressedby a; load" thereon overcoming. said weights, said chains flexibly suspending the platforms at'their adja;- cent edges from thetpair of'lazy tongs to compensate for pivotalimove'me'nt ofisa-id platforms relative to said pair oflazy tongs:

' v v JULIAN E. NEAL.

REFERENCES crrn'n The following references are of record in the file of this patent UNITED STATES: PATENTS Number Name Date" 777,236 Acers' Dec. 13, 1,640,329 Kyfes' Aug, 23, 1927 

